Syosset murder-suicide shooter killed family for inheritance after mother's funeral, police say

SYOSSET, NY – In Syosset, five people were shot dead in a gruesome murder-suicide over an inheritance dispute, Long Island police said.

Joseph Delucia, Jr. killed his niece and three siblings at his Wyoming Court home, two days after his 95-year-old mother, who also lived there, was buried, police said.

“41 years, this is probably one of the most horrific scenes I have ever seen, walking into the back room of the house where these four victims lay after being shot multiple times,” said Nassau County Police Chief Patrick Ryder.

According to police, Delucia Jr., 51, fired his pump-action shotgun 12 times, killing his sister Joanne Kearns, 64, of Tampa, Florida, his brother Frank Delucia, 69, of North Carolina, his other sister Tina Hammond, 64, and her daughter Victoria Hammond, 30, both of East Patchogue, New York.

Delucia Jr. was found dead on a chair in the front yard. He had sustained a gunshot wound to the chest.

Shooter feared being removed from his mother's will, police say

After Theresa Martha Delucia's burial on Friday at Calverton National Cemetery, the family planned to sell their home.

On the day of the murders, they planned to settle the will and meet with a real estate agent, but Delucia Jr. did not want to move and reacted angrily to his inheritance, police said.

“Joseph Jr. was under the impression that he was being struck out of the will and evicted with no place to go. He has a history of mental health issues, psychological issues that have been reported to us but we have not yet confirmed. Based on that perception, on that day he decided to get a loaded 12-gauge Mossberg shotgun, approach them in the back of the house and fire 12 shots from the kitchen, hitting all four,” said Nassau County Police Captain Stephen Fitzpatrick.

“His mother died. The real reason this all happened was because he felt like he was going to be homeless. That's all,” said neighbor Randi Marquis. “He knew the realtor was coming.”

Police said the siblings split the proceeds from the house sale.

Shooter’s mental state questioned

Neighbors knew Delucia Jr. as someone who easily became unpredictable, but said they never believed he would murder his family.

“There used to be talk in the community about not calling the police when you hear gunshots because it's too late,” Ryder said.

According to police, the shotgun he used to murder his four family members was registered.

“However, if he is reported to be mentally unstable, possession of this substance could be against the law,” Fitzpatrick said.

“I completely agree with the commissioner, the police and everyone else, but I had no idea this was going to happen,” Marquis said. “And not only that, my sister told me, 'Oh, he's talking nonsense again.'”

Neighbors said Delucia Jr. had lived with his mother his entire life and had occasional public outbursts.